3 Reminders Why Gift Cards Are Always Holiday Hits

Christmas will be here in exactly two weeks! Here, at Canadian POS, we’re willing to bet that, over the next two weeks, gift card sales in Canada will be the highest they’ve been all year. Gift cards make excellent choices for last minute shoppers. However, they’re not just dreams come true for those who start their holiday shopping late.

People love getting gift cards! You might be thinking “not all people”. And, to that, we’d retort with “most people”. As reported by Tatiana Walk-Morris on RetailDive.com, a National Retail Federation (NRF) report, released this past October, found that when it comes to items consumers seek the most, 59% want gift cards, followed by 52% who want clothing and accessories and 35% who seek entertainment gifts like books, movies, music and video games.

Here are three reminders why gift cards are always holiday hits:

1. Gift cards put power in the hands of recipients.

Allow us to begin with the obvious. Gift cards allow their recipients to buy whatever in the world they want – that is, of course, if it’s within the amount the gift card is worth. By offering a loved one a gift card as a present, a gift-giver eliminates the worry about whether or not the gift will be enjoyed. A gift card from a clothing retailer, for example, takes care of the “getting the right size, style and colour” problem.

“Gift cards give the freedom to choose,” affirms the Retail Gift Card Association, “Unless someone dog-eared a catalogue or sent you a link to their dream present, gift cards may be the best way to go because they let people choose what they want – and buy it when they want it.”

2. Gift cards give people opportunities to buy items outside of their price ranges.

Are you dying to get that new 65” Smart TV, but simply can’t manage to justify the amount of cash it’s going to take you to afford it? A gift card from an electronics store may just be what you’re looking for this holiday season. For many gift card recipients, the joy of getting a significant discount off of a big ticket item makes their gift cards the perfect holiday presents.

As a recent CashStar survey reveals, 51% of shoppers say the most appealing thing about receiving a gift card is the ability to purchase an item they wouldn’t otherwise have been able to afford by applying the gift card balance.

3. Gift cards provide awesome experiences.

Not everyone on our holiday shopping lists is interested in getting things. Some people would much rather enjoy experiences such as dinners, plays, movies and concerts. A gift card that offers a recipient the opportunity to enjoy a night out is often the best gift you can give.

“For some, a night on the town makes a better gift than a knickknack,” says the RGCA, “Gift cards that offer dinner, a movie or a play are a great choice for people hit hard by the down economy, since ‘fun’ is the first thing to go on a tight budget. They’re also a good choice for picky people.”

At Canadian POS, we proudly offer Canadian business owners the ability to take advantage of electronic gift cards. For more information, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-877-748-2884 or email us at info@localhost.